1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for processing variable service data structures and display texts in a processing module, and to an arrangement for implementation of the method, and in particular to a method and arrangement which allow the output of modified display texts dependent on a change in a new postage fee schedule table in a postage computer module, which are suitable for users of postage-calculating postage meter machines, postage-calculating scales or similar processing modules for service data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,490,077 and 5,606,508 (corresponding to German PS 42 13 278) disclose the initiation of a loading of data into a postage meter machine on demand, wherein the data base is updated dependent on conditions (such as, for example, name, date) after the postage meter machine is switched on. In order to provide the majority of postal customers with a fee schedule table on time, the schedule is stored in a memory of a transmission means (a chip card or a cell of a GSM network) separately from the postage meter machine far before the effective date of the modified schedule. When the postage meter machine is switched on, the date of the calendar module of the postage meter machine is employed, or is operated on with further conditions that have been entered, in order to select the appropriate table, this being loaded into the memory of the postage meter machine when it is initialized. An updating of the previous table ensues when loading from a memory of the transmission means into the memory of the postage meter machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,706 (corresponding to German PS 44 47 404) discloses entering data into a scale that is connected to a postage meter machine via an interface in order to update fee schedule table data with new data. The loading of the data ensues from a remote data center by modem to the postage meter machine. The loading and updating ensue immediately after one another. When the criterion exists for the schedule table data to be updated, a loading ensues, possibly with an intermediate storage of fee schedule table data in the postage meter machine, and a sector-by-sector deletion of the old postage table ensues in the non-volatile memory of the scale before the transmission of the new fee schedule table data from the intermediate memory of the postage meter machine to the scale and the write-in of the new fee schedule table data into the non-volatile memory of the scale. A number of tables can be stored in the scale, however, each table refers to a separate mail carrier, which can be selected by a keyboard. The minimum (earliest) validity date of a fee schedule table allocated to a carrier identification number CIN is stored and interpreted by the postage meter machine in order to form request data as needed for loading new fee schedule table data, or for updating in the memory of the scale according to the CIN.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,641 discloses a postal fee system with validity check in the terminal equipment at the user side. The postage fee schedule table is transmitted from the data center to the terminal equipment. A code belonging to the postage fee schedule table is also transmitted from the data center to the terminal equipment. The terminal equipment generates a comparison code from information based on the received postage fee schedule table. The validity of the received postage fee schedule table can be checked in the terminal equipment on the basis of the comparison of the received code to the generated comparison code. Such a solution is suitable for instances wherein only the fee schedule content, but not the structure of the fee schedule table, is modified.
German OS 196 22 304 discloses an interchangeable postage computer module and method for data transmission. For a change in the fee schedule structure, the postage computer module is replaced, which can be coupled both to a scale as well as to a postage meter machine. The coupling of the postage computer module to a base device must be implemented by the user. In conformity with the new structure, it supplies data for display change to a base device. A presentation of screen images ensues via the display unit of the base device, for which purpose ASCII display texts must be correctly ordered into the respective menu. This solution, however, is only suitable when the screen images stored in the program memory can be retained. Given very different base devices that have respectively different user interfaces, such procedure encounters substantial difficulties. This solution is unsuitable when previous screen images are discarded and entire screen images must be newly created and accommodated in the program because the structure of the presentation has fundamentally changed. Of course, it is disadvantageous when, in addition to the postage computer module, the program memory of the base device also has to be replaced.
In earlier postage meters the shipping parameter texts were differently displayed dependent on the machine. All texts were deposited in a memory exclusively provided for the operating software. Given a modification of the texts, the operating software of the machine had to be replaced, i.e. a technician replaced the operating software of the machine on site at the customer. As a result, the costs were very high. Another alternative for the presentation of the individual shipping parameters were keyboard foils that were glued onto the keyboard of the machine. A shipping parameter was allocated to each key. Given the change of only one shipping parameter, the complete keyboard foil had to be replaced. High costs likewise arose as a result. A need existed to reduce the replacement hardware elements.
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and a method for processing variable service data structures and display texts in a processing module in order to present display texts in the base device, these corresponding to the modified service data structures, which avoid the aforementioned problems associated with known techniques and devices. A further object us to provide an arrangement and a method for processing variable fee schedule structures and display texts in a postage computer module which allow the display of display texts in the base device that correspond to the modified postage fee schedule structures.
The above object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a method for processing variable service data structures and display texts in a processing module having a microprocessor, a program memory in which an operating program for the microprocessor is stored, and a non-volatile service data memory having first and second memory areas, wherein service data are stored in the second memory area and a root table is stored in the first memory area, the root table having a number of table items respectively associated with pointers for the addresses of the service data in the second memory area, and wherein access to the second memory area from the microprocessor ensues exclusively through the root table by selection of a table item, within the context of the operating program, and with service data being supplied to the microprocessor from the second memory area from an address identified by the pointer for the selected table item.
Inventively, all display texts are no longer stored in the program memory of the base device; rather, a separate non-volatile memory or memory area is provided for the display texts, preferably in combination with the postage calculation. A structure stored in a further, separate memory area includes pointers that point to the next-successive tables in the other memory areas. These aforementioned memory areas are inventively located in the non-volatile service data memory for postage fee schedule tables. The next-successive tables are tables for the postage fee schedules and the shipping parameter texts to be indicated. The latter are presented via the display of the base device. The shipping parameter texts show the user of the base device those elements in the structure of the postage calculation in the postage computer that can be selected. The shipping parameters relate to the format, the type, the form and the destination of the mail to be sent. The operating program of the base device is modified such that stored, invariable, fixed screen images are not exclusively accessed; rather, the screen images are generated in the display before being displayed, with the microprocessor programmed to follow the pointers when running the program.
For modifying fee schedule structures and display texts, the tables for the postage fee schedules and the shipping parameter texts to be indicated are either replaced or are reloaded into the appertaining memory areas of the non-volatile service data memory. Subsequently, thus, the new shipping parameter texts are also available for the display. When calculating the postage, the microprocessor programmed by the operating software accesses the aforementioned memory areas. A stored organization of pointers that point to the start addresses of the individual tables that are respectively stored in the separate memory areas is present at a start address known to the operating software. This organization lies at the root of all tables for the postage calculation and is therefore referred to below as a root table. The operating software accesses the respective table memory areas via the root table.
The operating software is designed for a reloading of the aforementioned memory. Since the memory addresses for the tables of the postage fee schedules and shipping parameter texts are known from the root table, the content of the memory areas can be designationally reloaded. For such a reloading, the root table stored in the service data memory contains further information sets that are interpreted by the aforementioned microprocessor programmed by the operating software, and which may be communicated to the data center by modem. The further information include the version and country identifier of the fee schedule table.